I Kings 2:28-46 - Joab and Shimei Eliminated

I Kings 2:28-46

So shall their blood return on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever; but to David and his descendants and his house and his throne, may there be peace from the Lord forever. (verse 33)

Message: Joab and Shimei Eliminated

Time: The author of 1&2 Kings (originally 1 book) is not known. First Kings follows the history of this divided kingdom from the death of David around 971 BC through the year 853 BC. First Kings reveals Solomon’s relationship with Yahweh and introduces the prophet Elijah who pronounces judgment on the evil northern king Ahab. Like other books, it helps us to understand the history of Israel and Judah. 

What the Lord is Saying: Previously in Chapter 2 of I Kings, Adonijah wants to sort of usurp Solomon's authority and make a claim once again for the throne this time by cleverly asserting himself to have David's former concubine as his wife, Solomon has him killed but spares Abiathar the priest who was associated and had supported Adonijah. 

Joab is mentioned in verse 28 and this news of Adonijah and Abiathar coming to him. Joab is an interesting fellow. He has been mentioned often in the life of David. Joab had served David for 4 decades as the commander of his army. He had some sort of respect for God throughout this time but at other times he was ruthless and carried out things in a harsh manner. He murdered people like Abner and Amasa right after David had put Amasa in charge and earlier made a covenant with Abner, but Joab wasn't about to share anything with another. David wanted Absalom spared even though Absalom wanted the throne. Joab stepped in and killed Absalom. But Joab disagreed in the census that David carried out which is a good thing to disagree on. Joab has been hard to figure out. 

And now in verse 28 it says that "Joab had followed Adonijah" and so this is odd. Solomon sent Benaiah to kill Joab for Joab was to removed "from my father's house [for] the blood which Joab shed without cause. Joab had many times taken matters into his own hands against the wishes of David. Verse 32 mentions Abner and Amasa. 

After this Solomon makes Benaiah the commander of his army and places Zadok as priest in place of Abiathar. 

Shimei is mentioned next in verse 36. Shimei cursed and threw stones at King David while David was fleeing from his son Absalom. David gave him a momentary reprieve but eventually told Solomon he would need to be punished. Solomon tells Shimei to go and live in Jerusalem and build a house there but at some point he will die. He had done evil and it is promised that "the Lord shall return your evil on your own head." Benaiah was eventually ordered to kill Shimei. 

It seems David didn't want to deal with things at times. Joab was effective even though he did things that were wrong, but David didn't deal with them. David had a way of struggling with open acts of rebellion. David and Solomon were great leaders, but they were not perfect. A perfect king was still needed one day and would come in the name of Jesus. 

Summary: Solomon followed through on David's request to have Joab and Shimei killed. 

Promise: From Tabletalk, "We remain utterly dependent on the grace of God for the growth of the kingdom."

Prayer: God your kingdom is always to be respected. I understand Lord you are to be praised and I praise You. And I also know that Jesus is the perfect king. You do great things through all sorts of people. Your kingdom will be established forever. Your will be done and you often work things out, not in the perfect way, but still in the best way only because your people on this earth are imperfect. Jesus is always perfect though and so we submit and surrender to Him always. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

2 Samuel 20 - Sheba's Rebellion

2 Samuel 20

And David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; take your lord's servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities and escape from our sight."(verse 6)

Message: Sheba's Rebellion

Time: Second Samuel is set in the land of Israel during the reign of David and follows the course of his forty years as king of Israel (1011–971 BC). It chronicles the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the expansion of Israel under God’s chosen leader. 

What the Lord is Saying: In the last lesson, David is heading towards Jerusalem, crossing the Jordan, bringing Chimham along but there is a rift between the tribes of Judah and Israel. Absalom his son tried to start a rebellion with a desire to take over the throne, but he was defeated and died in the process at the hands of Joab, David's commander, but Amasa is now the army commander. 

David is with Israeli people in Gilgal and verse 1 of Chapter 20 begins with a mention of "a worthless fellow...whose name was Sheba." Sheba is from the tribe of Benjamin, the tribe of Saul but he is rebellious. Sheba says that David's kingship is to be rejected. The northern tribes chose to follow Sheba while the Southern tribe of Judah stayed with David. There is continual unrest that people have and all they need often is someone to step up and lead a charge in the opposite direction. 

David mentions 10 concubines that had been public defiled by Absalom (2 Samuel 16:22). Absalom's actions made them untouchable to David. But he continued to care for them. 

David has Amasa bring together the men of Judah. David speaks to Abishai, a trusted military leader, and has him fortify the cities before Sheba reaches them. He takes David's bodyguards (Cherethites and Pelethites) to pursue Sheba. Joab and Amasa accompany them but Joab pulls out his dagger and approaches Amasa giving him the idea of affection, but stabs him instead, killing him. Joab clearly wants to be the one in charge and so gets Amasa out of the way. Everyone went on with Joab leading them. 

Sheba did have a following. Joab with the army approach Abel-beth-maacah to seek to cut off military supplies and breach the city walls, breaking the cities fortifications. A woman from the city, perhaps acting as a mediator, wants to speak with Joab. She appeals to Joab to resolve conflicts with wise counsel rather than violence. Joab responds that he wants to keep peace as well as a representative of David's kingdom. Joab makes it clear that if they hand over Sheba all will be satisfactory and no more conflict will be necessary. 

In response to this they cut off Sheba's head and hand it over. And Joab returned to Jerusalem. 

Upon the return the leaders are confirmed. Joab, the leader of the army. Benaiah son of Jehoiada, command over the Cherethites and Pelethites, who served as David's personal bodyguards, underscores his trusted position within the king's inner circle. Adoram, also known as Adoniram in other biblical passages, was a high-ranking official in King David's administration. Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, served as the recorder or chronicler, a position of significant importance in the royal court. The recorder was responsible for maintaining official records, documenting events, and possibly advising the king. Sheva served as the royal scribe under King David. In ancient Israel, the role of a scribe was crucial for maintaining records, drafting official documents, and preserving sacred texts. Zadok and Abiathar served as priests during King David's reign, representing the religious leadership of Israel. Ira is identified as a Jairite, indicating his lineage from Jair, a descendant of Manasseh. This is a non-Levitical priest showing David's intent to integrate religious leadership in his governance. 

Summary: Sheba now rebels and the Northern Tribe, but Joab begins to cut off the supplies in a fortified city and a woman comes forward to mediate and Sheba's head is cut off and delivered to Joab.

Promise: Remain faithful to the Lord when His people and His kingdom seem to be under siege.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for these lessons. Mediation is sometimes necessary and we need to not be afraid to enter into these situations in order to prevent a greater problem in the future. Rebellion is common and I pray I would not be acting in rebellion and submit and surrender to those you have placed over me. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

I Samuel 27:1-28:2 - David Deceives Achish

I Samuel 27:1-28:2

So Achish believed David, saying, "He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever." (verse 12)

Message: David Deceives Achish

Time: This book is a biography of Samuel's life and career up to his death. It took place over a period of about 110 years, stretching from the closing days of the judges, when Samuel was born (ca. 1120 BC) through the death of Saul (1011 BC).

What the Lord is Saying: It seemed in the last chapter that Saul's time was coming to an end. Each of them went on their way (26:25). And yet here in chapter 27 both are mentioned again. David feels that despite what has happened in the last chapter that "I will perish one day by the hand of Saul" and so he remarks going into the land of the Philistine. Reminder, these are the people Saul was originally called to vanquish or conquer, but David says if he retreats there then Saul won't follow him there. Thus, this chapter is about this. 

He goes to Achish king of Gath. David brought his men and his two wives. "Now it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him" (verse 4). David asks Achish for a place to reside and is given Ziklag. This will be where David resides as he flees Saul. He will stay there 1 year and 4 months. 

The text then says David raided and attacked, leaving no man or woman alive, in the areas of the Geshurites, the Girzites, and eh Amalekites. These areas represented the south country of Judah. Afterwards, he returned to Achish. 

Tabletalk lesson today notes that some passages are easy to digest and understand and some are not. This one falls in the "some are not" category. 

In some ways David's approach here seems puzzling. Again, as chapter 26 ended he and Saul went their separate ways and yet David seems to still think he needs to get away from Saul and perhaps he is correct. But in some ways it is odd that he would do this given his trust of God at this point and the fact that he has somewhat made this decision without God's involvement, at least according to the text. And yet his approach seems to make sense. Go camp out with your enemy. 

And then he goes and conquers those people, in order to make sure they remain silent. Hmm. Not sure I see a lesson here today other than people of God sometimes go rogue, but that doesn't mean their non-rogue times or trusting God times are null and void. 

Summary: David seems to take a detour and run off to Achish to flee from Saul and in the process conquers and kills people south of that place in Judah. 

Promise: God can bring about good from our mistakes.

Prayer: God, you are good. As a man and human I have bouts with not being good. I can be selfish and me-focused often and can do things that sometimes seem right to me but aren't. I am not sure if this describes David here in this situation, but I see it as an opportunity to reflect on my humanity and my need for God and that He is perfect. I thank you for this. I believe you are all-knowing and I need you for everything. Keep me running towards You. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Mark 12:1-9 - The Parable of the Tenants

Mark 12:1-9
1 Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: “A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. 2 At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. 3 But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. 4 The owner then sent another servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head. 5 The next servant he sent was killed. Others he sent were either beaten or killed, 6 until there was only one left—his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’ 7 “But the tenant farmers said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ 8 So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard. 9 “What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.

Message: The Parable of the Tenants

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem, as he has predicted 3 times his death and resurrection. He comes in on a colt and pronounces a judgment on the chief priests and scribes and elders at the temple about them not following their mission to make welcome the Gentiles at the temple. These leaders question Jesus' authority. Jesus communicates to his disciples that they are to have faith in God - to come to God by prayer in faith and then to forgive those that transgress against them. We are to be a people of faith and then forgiveness.

Now Jesus takes a moment to share a parable. This parable is in line with some of the subjects that he has been addressing, namely the importance of those individuals over are in charge of other individuals. In the 1st Century, it was common for landowners to hire tenant farmers to take care of their vines on their behalf. Isaiah 5:1-7 tells about a song about the Lord's vineyard. In that story the vineyard is judged for failing to to yield the proper fruit - a message that is sort of similar to the curse that Jesus pronounced on the fig tree as well as the chief priests and scribes.

This story speaks of the owner of the vineyard hiring tenant farmers to take care of his vineyard while he is away. But, the tenant farmers did more than just take care of the vineyard, they began to take ownership of it. Thus, they expanded their responsibility to include a sort of claim on it. In so doing, as the landowners servants came, he was beat up and sent away. And the landowner sent others, but they were also beat up or killed. Finally, the landowner sent his son but the same thing happened to the son, this time murdering the son. Jesus then says in response to this - What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others. 

• The servants represent the old covenant prophets - these prophets were rejected often by the leaders of the ancient covenant community
• The landowner is God himself 
• The tenant farmers are the kings, priests, other leaders, including what could be called today the church. 
• The landowner sent His Son (Jesus), but he is received with even more hatred than the prophets. 

This is an interesting lesson because Jesus is talking more about service (Mark 10:43-45) and forgiving others (Mark 11:25). The focus is on others. The tenant farmers were given one tasked, but they expanded it to include other responsibility and in so doing they lost their chief task. They became like the chief priests and scribes and began using the temple in a way they had wanted.

I think for me I look at the application of this passage to be the importance of remembering my first love and remembering how God has called me to live and act in this world. I need to be careful about getting too big for my own britches and taking ownership of what he has simply put me in charge of. And I need to always bring it back to Jesus, His Son, and even those that he has sent. Again, the focus is not on me, but others.

Summary - Jesus brings a parable to his people to remind them of the message that God has sent His Son to redeem people, and yet the Son will be rejected. People don't want the solution that Jesus provides. They want their own selfish solutions. He continues to get his disciples ready for what is coming - his death which will involve his complete rejection and scorn.

Promise: People will do whatever is necessary often to please themselves and get their own way. As God puts us in charge though of his vineyard, this world, we have a responsibility to respect his leadership and do what He asks.

Prayer: Lord, I love you and you are the Lord and King. I am your vessel. You have created all and so no matter my situation I need to serve you. Give me the strength and power to continue to share Your love with others. God you are in charge of all and I praise You for your love for us, but I must submit and surrender to You continually. I must trust Your ways. Keep me ever mindful of what you are teaching me to have faith in you, forgive others, and serve people.

Jesus Calling: November 2

Grow strong in the Light of My Presence. Your weakness does not repel Me. On the contrary, it attracts My Power, which is always available to flow into a yielded heart. Do not condemn yourself for your constant need of help. Instead, come to Me with your gaping neediness; let the Light of My Love fill you.
     A yielded heart does not whine or rebel when the going gets rough. It masters the courage to thank Me even during hard times. It musters the courage to thank Me even during hard times. Yielding yourself to My will is ultimately an act of trust. In quietness and trust is your strength. 

Psalm 116:5-7
English Standard Version

⁵ Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
    our God is merciful.
⁶ The Lord preserves the simple;
    when I was brought low, he saved me.
⁷ Return, O my soul, to your rest;
    for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

Ephesians 5:20
English Standard Version
giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Isaiah 30:15
English Standard Version
For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
    in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
But you were unwilling

Prayer
Lord, on this day I want to do things Your way. Lord, train me to embrace your will during the hard times. Generally, I get mad, sad, then glad. Help me through those moments so that my trust shall be my strength. You are fair and you deal bountifully with me. I give thank always for everything.  

Prayer Update - 2021

Today my wife and I celebrate 30 years of being married. Lord, I am so thankful for my still beautiful and wonderful wife Pamela and the wonderful gift she has been to me. Thank you for her beautiful smile, her wonderful child-like approach to life, and the way she helps me see the joy of life and all that you have created. You are my refuge God and yet each day with her is also a refuge for the troubles of each day. You use her to remind me how much we need each other each day. Even as trials have hit us at various times, we go at it together. We are better together. You talk to me daily through your Words and I'm so thankful for this and I love to sit and talk with her. On this day I say once again Lord, thank you. 

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Psalm 78:40-66 - Idolatry and Restoration

Psalm 78:40-66

^40-44 How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! Again and again they tempted God, and pained the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power, the day when He redeemed them from the adversary, when He performed His signs in Egypt and His marvels in the field of Zoan, and turned their rivers to blood, and their streams, they could not drink.
^45-51 He sent among them swarms of flies which devoured them, and frogs which destroyed them. He gave also their crops to the grasshopper and the product of their labor to the locust. He destroyed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore trees with frost. He gave over their cattle also to the hailstones and their herds to bolts of lightning. He sent upon them His burning anger, fury and indignation and trouble, a band of destroying angels. He leveled a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, but gave over their life to the plague, and smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first issue of their virility in the tents of Ham.
^52-55 But He led forth His own people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock; He led them safely, so that they did not fear; but the sea engulfed their enemies. So He brought them to His holy land, to this hill country which His right hand had gained. He also drove out the nations before them and apportioned them for an inheritance by measurement, and made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents. 

^56-58 Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep His testimonies, But turned back and acted treacherously like their fathers; they turned aside like a treacherous bow. For they provoked Him with their high places and aroused His jealousy with their graven images. 
^59-64 When God heard, He was filled with wrath and greatly abhorred Israel; So that He abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh, the tent which He had pitched among men, And gave up His strength to captivity and His glory into the hand of the adversary. He also delivered His people to the sword, and was filled with wrath at His inheritance. Fire devoured His young men, and His virgins had no wedding songs. His priests fell by the sword, and His widows could not weep.

^65-66 Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, like a warrior overcome by wine. He drove His adversaries backward; He put on them an everlasting reproach.

Message: Idolatry and Restoration

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

In some ways not much is different in this passage than what was presented in the previous reading from Psalm 78. This Psalm continues to speak of people rebelling, the Lord continues to guide them and yet people respond by turning their back on Him. And so God puts forth his wrath on people. And still he is merciful toward them.

There is an idea in these verses that seems a little baffling to me and that is that God isn't forcing himself on people. He is providing for them over and over and he believes that through this providence and his rescuing that people will find their refuge in Him. Sometimes his wrath will be displayed. He is a God who is to be praised, but the goal is for people to respond to Him. The goal is for each of us to turn from our ways and acknowledge Him as Lord and God.

They did not remember his power
In verses 40-44 this is the message I see. People did not see His power. We do this today. We look at weather and we have an explanation. We look at storms and we have an explanation. We look at all these events and we simply say there are patterns of weather that are making things happen. Sometimes we call this "Mother earth" but there is a growing trend to not call them acts of God. Our rebellion towards God must grieve Him. Man just doesn't acknowledge God's power. 

They went their own way
Also in verses 40-44 is the action of turning away from God. They rebelled against Him. They tempted God. They did not remember all God did for them. I get too distracted with the immediate and I forget the good times.

He tried to get their attention
In verses 45-51, God did things to these people. He used animals and weather, bad things to get their attention. If they don't acknowledge God, he will show them his power. But, no one wants to say these tornadoes or tsunami's or hurricanes come from the Lord. They only want a God that does good things to them. I don't blame them. When good happens, we are fine, but when bad happens we often turn away. It is only when the matter gets beyond our control that we turn to God.

He led his own people. 
There is a contrast here that God led his own people in verses 52-55. So far what I have read in this section is the people did not remember his power and they went their own way, yet God tried to get there attention and through it all he led them. God is leading us. God is leading us and often I need to remember this. I think I get too focused on what I see. He uses the sheep and shepherd idea here. The shepherd is always leading, but at times I go off track or I wander, but this doesn't mean God has stopped leading. I need to trust in God more through each day, each moment. I need to believe that He is at work. I stare too much at my surroundings and not enough at God. I live too much of my life focused on what I want and sometimes I forget to see what God has already provided and I forget to be thankful.

Yet, we turn aside
Verses 56-58 speak that even though God led his people, we rebel. I am a sinner. I sin. I doubt and I question God. He knows this is going to happen. He knows I will rebel and not keep commandments, turn back and act unbecoming to people around me. And through it all I also start looking to other things that I think will satisfy me. 

God can get mad
And I need to remember that God can be bothered at times by my actions as it describes in verses 59-64.  I need to remember that I measure myself each day not against other people but against Jesus and his standard. And if I'm not perfect, I'm a sinner and I deserve his wrath. I spend too much time looking at other people and what they have and wonder why I don't have the same thing. Help me God to be more focused on my relationship with you and not on other people and what they have or don't have. Everyone is different and my job is to trust you with where I am at right now. I can pray for something better and it may result but through it all I can trust you. And if bad things happen, you have your reasons. This nature gets further from you and we now have more natural disasters and more people killing one another and you are showing us racism is a problem and yet we act surprised when things don't go well. Lord, could you be mad at us? If so, help us see that the answer is us to follow you.

God hasn't left
In these final 2 verses, I remember God that you are still there. You haven't left. From my vantage point, you coming to the rescue looks like to me that you finally woke up. But you never sleep. Again, Lord, help me trust in You.


Promise: No matter what, God rescues His people.

Psalm 78:1-20 - For the Coming Generation

Psalm 78:1-20

Listen, O my people, to my instruction; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. ² I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, ³ which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.⁴ We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. 

⁵ For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children, ⁶ That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, they may arise and tell to their children, ⁷ That they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, ⁸ And not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God. 

⁹ The sons of Ephraim were archers equipped with bows, they turned back in the day of battle.
¹⁰ They did not keep the covenant of God And refused to walk in His law; ¹¹ They forgot His deeds and His miracles that He had shown them. ¹² He wrought wonders before their fathers In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. ¹³ He divided the sea and caused them to pass through, and He made the waters stand up like a heap. ¹⁴ Then He led them with the cloud by day and all the night with a light of fire. ¹⁵ He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave abundant drink like the ocean depths. ¹⁶ He brought forth streams also from the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers.¹⁷ Yet they still continued to sin against Him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert. ¹⁸ And in their heart they put God to the test by asking food according to their desire. ¹⁹ Then they spoke against God; They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? ²⁰ “Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, And streams were overflowing; Can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people?”

Message: For the Coming Generation; Warning to the Stubborn and Rebellious

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Overview
This Psalm begins with the words Listen, O my people, to my instruction; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. This is a beginning that seems similar to words found in the book of Proverbs. But, it is clearly a call to the people to pay attention to what is going to be said. He says that he speak with a parable. He will pass on words that our fathers have said to us.

Pass on these words to future generations
Actually, in reading this Psalm, at least these first 20 verses, it is a call out to the people of God to carry forth the Word of God from generation to generation. I will utter dark sayings of old which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. I have a responsibility before my children to continue to pass on the word of God. I do not think I've ever read this verse or taken it very seriously. 

Stubborn and Rebellious People
There was a warning in verse 8 to not be like a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God.  Stubborn and rebellious is a people that are stiff-necked, ungovernable; inclined to revolt. Therefore, a people that do not pass on words to their children and future generations are described as this. Stubborn and rebellious is synonymous with not being faithful to God.

We come across people all the time that say they believe in God and pray, but I wonder if they believe they are faithful to God. Its one thing to believe and pray, but quite another to be faithful. I just think of this as I speak to people. I am not sure I am even faithful to God and his promises. I think I do this on a part-time basis. I'm not sure if this describes me completely. But, I also think, for the most part, it is a goal of mine to be this way.

This stubborn and rebellious way is further understand through the description of a people group. In verse 9, the sons of Ephraim was one of the largest tribes of Israel. They were a large tribe and therefore had the platform and means to be independent of the other tribes. They were archers equipped with bows. They were armed and they were ready to defend only themselves but they turned back in the day of battle or they did not stand by their brethren. They were a proud people and a selfish people. The Christian life is to be about community and serving others and ministering to people.

These people rejected God

• They did not keep the covenant of God
• refused to walk in His law
• They forgot His deeds and His miracles that He had shown them

These people ignored God:

• He wrought wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.  
• He divided the sea and caused them to pass through, and He made the waters stand up like a heap.  
• Then He led them with the cloud by day and all the night with a light of fire.  
• He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave abundant drink like the ocean depths.  
• He brought forth streams also from the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers

They put God to the test:

• asking food according to their desire.  
• Can God prepare a table in the wilderness
• Can He give bread also
•  Will He provide meat for His people

Conclusion
This chapter describes fathers preparing their children for the future, teaching them God's word. I wonder how I do this as a father or rather I think about this and see that I need to improve in this area. I'm having difficulty right now talking to my youngest. Yet, there are still stories I could communicate from God's word. Perhaps I need to look at my Bible again and think about the stories that are within it and what it can teach. Help me God. Give me strength and courage to pass these truths onto my children. They all need it. Help me with my youngest and even though he does not voice an interest in God right now, show me how I can still use words from our lives.

Promise: God's word is present and living. We can't just ignore it or even question it without it yielding stubborn and rebellious people.

Jesus Calling: October 21

To live in My Presence consistently, you must expose and expel your rebellious tendencies. When something interferes with your plans or desires, you tend to resent the interference. Try to become aware of each resentment, however petty it may seem. Don't push those unpleasant feelings down; instead, let them come to the surface where you can deal with them. Ask My Spirit to increase your awareness of resentful feelings. Bring them boldly into the Light of My Presence, so that I can free you from them.
     The ultimate solution to rebellious tendencies is submission to My authority over you. Intellectually you rejoice in My sovereignty, without which the world would be a terrifying place. But when My sovereign will encroaches on your little domain of control, you often react with telltale resentment.
     The best response to losses or thwarted hopes is praise: The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Remember that all good things--your possessions, your family and friends, your health and abilities, your time--are gifts from Me. Instead of feeling entitled to all these blessings, respond to them with gratitude. Be prepared to let go of anything I take from you, but never let go of My hand!

Psalm 139:23-24
English Standard Version

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    Try me and know my thoughts!
²⁴ And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting!

I Peter 5:6
English Standard Version

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Job 1:21
New King James Version

And he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

My Prayer
Lord, help me to not simply follow You according to my terms. At times, there will be unwelcome situations that come into my life, so that you may teach me something. Help me to not rebel because I don't think at the time it is something I want. Help me to have the response of Job: The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Lord, I want to humble myself under your mighty hand and allow you to Search me, O God. Try me and know my mind and if there be any wicked way in me, pull me to the rock that is higher than I.   

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.


Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Romans 1:29-31 - A Litany of Wickedness

Romans 1:29-31 - 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;

Message:  On the heels of a people having no reason in their life to even acknowledge God, the result is not something good, but instead bad behavior.

Time: Written sometime in AD 57-58, probably from Corinth, at the end of Paul's third missionary journey.

What the Lord is Saying:

Left to their own devices, this is the result,

being filled with all:

• unrighteousness
• wickedness
• greed
• evil

full of:

• envy
• murder
• strife
• deceit
• malice

they are:

• gossips
• slanderers
• haters of God
• insolent
• arrogant
• boastful
• inventors of evil
• disobedient to parents
• without understanding
• untrustworthy
• unloving
• unmerciful

I think the amazing things about these verses and the result of man from straying away from God is that man can't even see the above results, but thinks that everything is okay.

Unrighteousness - if faith in God through Jesus Christ makes us righteous, then anything that is not this is unrighteousness. I don't think I need to try to get more clever with that first sin. All of man's vain attempts to be good are in fact, unrighteousness. That is probably hard for anyone to accept for man wants to believe he is good. And I think it is interesting that what begins here in this list is the simple, overarching category of unrighteousness.  

Wickedness - And isn't it interesting that wickedness is then called out here. What is interesting about this list is that each one has been selected and is there to describe something different from everything else in the list. The other thing to realize in all of these sins is that they are often not mentioned in our lives as sins. Wickedness here is the deliberate act to destroy the goodness of man. We are often so cavalier in pushing out the goodness in any person.

Greed - The inordinate desire for something at any cost. Sometimes, there is greed for money, but I think it goes beyond that in that the greed is to have things. And often to have more things than another person. I think the big problem with greed is it is selfish and does not care about others. God provides and then I respond often by saying, "That isn't good enough." He provides for people differently. I think of this in marriage. God provides a wife, but man often wants more that the woman God has provided and instead of getting to know better what God has provided, the man looks outside the wife to get what he wants. Man is so quick to not trust God.

Evil - How could evil not already have been covered? Evil is the general meaning of being bad or badness. But, evil needs to be covered here because this simply describes a person that is only bad. What a horrible state this would be, that anyone could look at a person and state they are evil. An evil person takes pleasure in doing wrong.

Envy - this begins the second set of 5 sins. Envy is the displeasure we feel in seeing something that another person has and then begrudging them for this. We might say, "Why does that person have what they do? I deserve it more than that person does." Jealousy is desiring what another person has, envy in contrast is wants to deprive another person of what they have.

Murder - The result of envy is murder. Murder can be outward, but it can also be inward when it looks like anger (I John 3:15). To the Romans, murder was very familiar to them as they would often put to death slaves for the slightest offenses.

Strife - Strife is another sin of selfishness. It comes about through quarrelsome and rivalry, deceit, tricking and lying to get what you want. This word is mentioned 9 times in the NT. The gift of God is take as much pleasure in others as we do in ourselves.

Deceit - It is misleading someone for my own advantage. In advertising, this is "bait and switch" in which a person is lured in to something that looks too good to be true. This word is used 36 times in the OT and 9 times in the NT.

Malice -  This is the desire to harm another person. It is the opposite of biblical love which thinks of the best of others.

Gossips - I destroy another person's reputation by sharing a secret. The one being spoken against does not have the ability to defend oneself because they don't know what is being said. In the work environment, gossip is all to clear as employees speak of their supervisors in an ill way; in the church we gossip about the pastor, as a citizen, we gossip about our president. Anytime we can change a person's judgment upon another person just by whispering we have done great harm.

Slanderer - A slanderer acts in the same way as the gossip, but the accused often hears what the slanderer is saying.

Haters of God - The God Hater doesn't just hate God, but works to exclude God from their thinking. I do this at times when God gives me an opportunity for people to see I am a Christian, but I decide I don't want people to know I'm a Christian because I'm nervous about what people will then think of me. And yet this person also sees God as the one who will spoil his fun. People do reject God often because they assume things about Him that may not be true, so they push Him outside of their life. My challenge is not respond to haters of God with hate, but love. We have seen the 10 commandments removed, prayer removed from school, abortion uplifted, marriage redefined, intolerance toward Christians -- all of these are God-haters winning and yet our response is not to belittle these people, but to continue to love them.

Insolent - This is a person who sees himself as superior to other people and because of his position can be cruel and insulting to others. I might say I would never be that type of boss, but have I been that type of parent at times? Have I mistreated my kids and said things to them because I am their parent and therefore, I can say things to them that I would never say to other people I supervise? I can be cruel and insulting with them. In this respect, I am shaming them. But, that is my temptation. Here, for the person that has denied God, the insolent person puts himself above God and then acts like God in his life. This person can do whatever he wants to other people because he has no authoritative accountability.

Arrogant - The arrogant is the proud person that has a problem with everyone else, but never themselves. Others do wrong, but not me. I think there is a real danger among Christians to make themselves out to be arrogant amongst everyone else in society. People can act like the faith they have in God is because of something great in themselves as people. And so they come off in society as being greater than others. Religious people do it with the nice clothes they wear (like JW's that dress up when going door to door) or the special garments that papal people wear (to clearly set themselves apart from others). This is fine if our motive is genuine piety, but there is also such a danger of then thinking we are better than others. But, the hater of God is arrogant because God has become his servant and a made up deity and the person is then arrogant. And it is even clearer here how the haughty or proud person can't even see their sin. They are blind to it because they are blind to who God really is. This can be an inward sin because a person has the outward display, but inside has different agenda's. But, we clearly know from scripture that God hates the arrogant and proud.

Boastful - This words comes from a word meaning “wandering.” It referred to wandering merchants who would make extravagant claims for their products that could not be substantiated. This person brags about oneself, often in a way that can't be substantiated. There is a element of lying here because a person is lying about who they really are as they show themselves to be greater than they are. It is interesting that this is the word used in Ephesians 2:8-9 to explain the person who declares himself good before God rather than repenting by faith. We can't come before God boasting in ourselves because in essence we are trying to show God ourselves that isn't true. We are bragging that we are a good person and yet we aren't.

Inventors of evil - What a tragedy when sin comes mundane and a person needs to develop news way of sinning. This is the result of any addiction. Sin is never happy with just a one time occurrence. Pornography can lead to unmentionable things. Gambling, lying, stealing. I think the danger of sin is the quest people get to think of ways to achieve it. I guess I have a tendency to think of the sexual sins: rape, incest, sex trafficking, pornography of minors.

Disobedient to parents - At first, it is a little puzzling that this made this list. Is it unnatural then to disobey our parents? God sets up marriage and then family. A good family is God's intention for mankind. And so when a person is disobedient to a parent, that good purpose has dark results. The Greek word for disobedient conveys the idea of one that will not be persuaded by. I think one clear thing that must be looked at hear is the real purpose of the parent. The parent is to teach and train and mold and love and support and encourage. The child should be responsive to this. Going in the opposite direction is clearly the beginning of other disobedience. I do think that a child is not disobedient if the parents is acting in a way that is not according to God's directive for the parent. If a parent is leading a child into sin, then there is not disobedience when a child desires to go a different direction.

Without understanding - This because the final charge of the opposites. Up to this point the words have been affirmative descriptions of sins and now we turn to the opposites. Understanding is the goal, the problem is the person without understanding. God is clearly described in man and in creation (verse 19-21), but here the person has left that understanding. To think of a Christian and going to church, reading one's Bible, praying, fellowship with others, confession, evangelizing -- these are all disciplines of understanding. The person that is not a Christian is without understanding. And yet they are deceived and can't see it. And so the only true understanding that matters is knowing God.

Untrustworthy - A person here has broken a covenant. Life is about relationships and doing those relationships correctly. And yet we are so flippant in a charge to do things according to God's standards. I was at a wedding recently and it was so refreshing to see the message of permanence at the wedding. There was a message of making a covenant before God. There was a complete recognition that this was a union and they were making a commitment to honor that covenant. It is so easy to make promises. I even see this at work. It is so easy to tell someone that this is what I am going to do. It rolls off our tongue, but if I am going to be a man of my Word, I must follow through on those promises, even if that means a painful experience. I must be a man of His Word. Help me Lord to not be about excuses.

Unloving - Literally, this is without family love. Storge is used for family love or the love of a parent for a child or a child for a parent. I am called to this kind of love and to love this sort of way means my life is marked by something different. Man can clearly see God through creation, but man does not quickly love God, but the love of a father and mother and child is instinctive and inborn. So, what better picture here of the disintegration of man than the person that does not love father or mother or child.

Unmerciful - And finally, the unmerciful. It is only used here in the New Testament and it means someone that is without compassion for others. If there is one thing even the degenerate man gets is the need to be merciful to the needy. There are dark people everywhere that still recognize that compassion for the needy is necessary. I see this through the natural disasters that occur, the tsunami's and tornadoes and hurricanes and the desire for people to assist others in need. And so this list concludes with this very dark moment when man is without compassion. What is horrible is the all the sins that have been preceded this one or unfortunately so clearly seen in the world, but this one is rare and yet when it occurs, as it did with Hitler and other dictators, that person is long gone. The unmerciful person acts in an unconscionable manner. In some ways, there is nothing uglier. There is nothing more selfish.


Promise: Know God; Follow Him; Stay Close.

Daniel 9

Message: Daniel prays and Gabriel gives him a prophecy

Time: 1st year of Darius the Mede, son of Ahasuerus

What the Lord is Saying: Daniel mentions he learned, from reading the word of The Lord (from Jeremiah) that Jerusalem must be desolate for 70 years. In response Daniel (1) prayed (2) fasted (3) wore burlap and (4) sprinkled himself with ashes.

Daniel's prayer begins with adoration of God, reminding himself of God's promises and that God's keeps them for his people.

Daniel's problem, though, of him and his people is we:
(1) rebel against you God, ignoring God's commands and regulations
(2) refused to listen to your ambassadors

Daniel's condition is now "shame" - the painful feeling from a self-awareness of having done wrong

And now we are far from you God because you sent us away. God promised that our rejection of Him would yield curses and judgments.

Yet, we know that God has mercy and is forgiving and can look past our sin, though we still do not obey. When disaster befalls us, we can't be surprised. But God rescues His people.

But he pleads to the Lord, that because of God's mercy, would he turn his anger from the City of Jerusalem. Daniel knows that the people don't deserve kindness. He knows that their position is based upon God's kindness. They don't deserve help, but they ask for mercy.

Prophecy
Gabriel comes - to communicate a command and communicate a prophecy. A period of 70 sets of seven to finish their rebellion. 7 sets of seven + 62 sets of seven will pass from this command until the Anointed One arrives. But the Anointed One will be killed; a ruler will arise who will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, with war. The ruler will make a treaty for one set of seven. He will put an end the sacrifices and offering. And then mentions a sacrilegious object that causes desecration.

Promise: It is the Lord that is in control of our outcomes. His mercy brings us safety. We do not ever deserve His kindness, but instead is for God's grace and Mercy. Yet God's blessings may be delayed in our lives when we continue in sin.

Ezekiel 33

Message: Ezekiel is Israel's watchman. Ezekiel gives the watchman's message: "Why will you die, Israel?" and then explains Jerusalem's destruction.

Time: The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel.

What the Lord is Saying: The Lord explains the watchman. As enemies come, the people elect a watchman to stand guard. The watchman warns the people. If you hear the warning and do nothing, it is your fault when destruction comes your way. If you listen to the warning, you shall live. But, also, if the watchman does not blow his trumpet when the enemy comes, then the responsibility lies on the watchman if destruction was the result.

The Lord tells Ezekiel he will be the Lord's watchman. When the Lord speaks he is to warn the people. But, their outcome is not Ezekiel's responsibility. Ezekiel is to speak.

Then the watchman gives Israel the Gospel Message:

1. Israel says, "We are sinners and our sin results in death."
2. God says, "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked."
3. God says, "I want the wicked to turn from their way and live."
4. God says, "Righteous living will not save sinners."
5. God says, "Wicked living will not destroy wicked people turning from their sin."
6. God says, "Past righteousness does not save people engaged in present wickedness."
7. God says, "When wicked turn from their sin and live righteously, they are saved and their past wickedness is no longer seen."
8. Israel says, "God isn't doing what is right."
9. Ezekiel says, "No, you are the ones that are not doing right."
10. God says, "Your deeds show who you belong to."

A fugitive or survivor from Jerusalem comes to Ezekiel, no longer mute, to tell him the city has been struck down. The people thought that Abraham as one man got possession, but they are many and should also get possession. But, then the Lord reminds me of their filthiness, their idolatry, murder, adultery, and wonders why he should reward them the land when there ways are far from Him. No, the land must be destroyed, not partially, but completely. They want rewards, but what they really need is to know that the Lord is the Lord.

The Lord shows Ezekiel that the people do listen, but they don't do what he says. His voices is a soothing instrument to their souls, yet their walk does not equal their talk. "They listen, but have no intention of doing what you say."

Promise: The bottom line is the same as previous chapters have shown. We are to be God's people and He is to be our Lord. Our deeds need to mirror our relationship. Yes, God is sovereign and Yes, God sets His chosen people apart, but His people should follow Him. In following, there is great reward. Do what he says.

--------------------------------------------------- Words from Tabletalk reading. I continue to try to read these passages alongside my reading of the Tabletalk devotional series, but I've been getting behind because some days their is a jump from one passage to another. But, i don't like to jump and have enjoyed the study.

Today's reading (actually October 1) was, "God's Mercy Toward the Wicked." And it is a vivid summary of how the people of Israel assumed God would not save his chosen people. Yes, he wanted them to live pure lives and stop their wickedness and there would always be punishment in this life for wicked behavior, but ultimately they were to know that God has chosen them and they will always be His. No matter what. What a great picture this is of who we are in Christ. So many in the world focus on the justice of God, often wondering why it doesn't occur more swiftly, and yet God pledges His mercy to repentant sinners. He looks over sins previously committed and gives us the riches of His position as our Lord. The Lord takes no pleasure in punishing sinners. This grieves Him. But, justice must be performed. His desire is obedience. His desire is people will remember Him and follow His ways.

Ezekiel 20

Message: Israel's continuous rebellion; God will restore Israel.

Time: 7th year, 5th month, 10th day. Elders came to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord.

What the Lord is Saying: Why do you come? To inquire? Your fathers sinned. The Lord made a covenant with his people to save them, to rescue them from Egypt and give them riches. I gave them rules to live by. I gave them my Sabbaths.

But they rebelled. They rejected rules and ignored the Sabbath. I poured out wrath because my name was profaned. My statutes are to be honored, but I spared them and did not put a full end to them.

I asked their children to walk in their ways, but they rebelled as well. But he withheld his anger. The Lord gave them rules that when obeyed would not have good outcomes and nothing to save their life to remind them of who He is.

Idolatry is what reigned in these people's lives.

The Lord makes it known, "I will be king over you." I will bring you out from where you are to purge the evil from your midst. If you are going to do evil, then go ahead and do it. But don't call me Lord and then profane my name. I want people who will serve Me and Me alone. I want those who loathe their sin.

Promise: God does not want people who say one thing and do the other. He wants hot or cold. He wants people who give there all to Him.

Ezekiel 12

Message: To a rebellious people.

Time: A message to Ezekiel from the Lord.

What the Lord is Saying:
The Lord gives Ezekiel a message to a people that do not see the Lord. They have eyes, but refuse to see. Ears, but refuse to hear.

Pretend you are being sent to exile. Pretend for the benefit hopefully of these that don't want to listen to the Lord. Don't look back. Dig through the walls and leave. Ezekiel did this, during the day, and all watched. They will ask, "Why are you doing this?" And you reply from Me that it is a sign of what will soon happen to them.

Rebellious people do not want to listen to their leader (The Lord), but the Lord will show them that He is real. The will fall into captivity, some will die, some will not only so they can share of what the Lord thinks of the detestable things we do.

Promise: The Lord says, "If I say it, it will happen." Prophecies will come true.

Ezekiel 5

Message: Jerusalem will be destroyed. Ezekiel continues to prepare to give the message to Israel.

Time: Ezekiel is probably about 31 or 32 now and he is continuing to hear from the Lord of the judgment that awaits Jerusalem.

What the Lord is Saying: Ezekiel is to shave his beard, in a very exact manner, placing the clippings into three equal, weighed out parts. One third in the center of the map of Jerusalem and will burn in the fire for the days of the siege of the city. The Lord placed Israel in the center of all surrounding nations and yet the surrounding nations were more obedient. Israel rebelled. And so people will be punished more than anyone has been punished by God before. Parents will eat their children.

Then take another third and strike them with a sword around the map of the City. This is the third that be slaughtered by the enemy outside the city. Another third scattered to the wind.

What amazing pictures of the seriousness of people's sin and how we can see so clearly what God thinks of sin. All will see what the Lord thinks of His people that are rebellious and turn from Him.

Problem: You know the amazing thing here is there is a obviously a message in the Gospel that the Lord deals with sin. People will die in their sins. But, also, his people, whom He has called, are now responsible to live in a way that is worthy of their calling. And the Lord will not be kind to those who call on His name and yet rebel from Him at the same time. This is hypocrisy at its best.